Cuddly teddies have taken up residence at a hospice working to help seriously ill young people, thanks to a donation from Freemasons.

Tom Davies, a member of Planet Lodge of Freemasons, has been a great champion of the Helen and Douglas House Hospice and has donated £,2000 to the charity that he raised from the sale of second-hand masonic regalia to Freemasons in Bucks.

Mel Shah, a co-ordinator for Teddies for Loving Care (TLC) attended the presentation ceremony at the hospice, accompanied by the assistant head of Freemasonry in Buckinghamshire, Graham Dearing, and Tom.

Started in 2001, TLC has distributed nearly two million teddy bears to children’s A&E departments across the UK.

The hospice offers medically supported short breaks, specialist pain and symptom management and end-of-life care, as well as counselling and practical support for the whole family.

Based in Oxford, the hospice also provides care and support to young people in the surrounding counties.

Mel said: “This charity is a new recipient of the teddies and we hope that they are of great comfort to those youngsters who receive them. After the presentation, we were taken on a conducted tour of the hospice and the various activities that the patients take part in, for example music and art, were explained to us. This hospice is like a respite care centre for terminally ill children and young adults and helps patients from all over the country.”

More information can be found on the Bucks Masonic website: http://www.buckspgl.org/